Well-flowing device



plm E@ H 4 W. L. MARTIN WELL FLwING DEVICE n MH Nov. 20, E928.

Patented Nov. 20, 1928.

1,692,131 .PATENT oFFICE.

WILIBERT L. MARTIN, OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA.

WELL-FLOWING DEVICE.

Application led September 8, 1927. Serial No. 218,206.

My invention relates to apparatus for lowing wells by air or gaspressure'and more particularly to apparatus of that character for use inwells having sufficient rock pressure to maintain a column of oil ofconsiderable depth within the well; the principal object of.theinvent-ion being to automatically control communication between the welland tubing at various elevations to provide for delivery of oil from thewell to the tubing at various levels of oil in the well, and therebyavoid waste of energy incident to ramming of all of the oil from the topof the well column through the bottom of the tubing or lift of all ofthe oil in the tube column.

In accomplishing this and other objects of the invention I have providedimproved details of structure', the preferred forms of which areillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an oil well equipped with my improvedapparatus, the well and its casing being in central vertical section.

Fig. 2v is an enlarged detail perspective view of one of the valveunits, the well casing ibeing in Vertical section.

Fig. 3 is a'central longitudinal section of a valve unit and itsenclosing well casing.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 4 4, Fig. 2. y 1 Referringmore in detail to the drawings 1 designates an oil` Well, extending.through cap rock 2 into oil sand 3 and terminating in the usual shotpocket 4, the wellbeing lined s with casing 5 supported by the usualshoe 6 on the cap rock 2 and equipped with an ordinary casing head 7. 8designates tubing eX- tending through the well and terminating in aistrainer joint 9 Within the shot pocket.

Mounted on the tubing 8 nearthe bottom of the well is a packer 1 0 forsealing the lower portion ofthe well from the sand stratum and confiningthe air or gas employed for owing the well, and thereby avoiding back.pressure that `mightinterfere with natural How of the oil `fromthe-sand.

Interposed in the tubing .8 at various points i 'throughout the lowerlength of the tubing,

preferably at around two hundred foot intervals, are valve joints 11, ofthe same diameter as the tubing 8 and coupled thereto by threadedcollars 12. The lower end of each of the valve joints 11 is providedwith apertures 13 preferably arranged in annular series and in- `clinedupwardly and inwardly so that oill admitted from the outside of thetubing will be directed upwardly through the interior channel. Nipples'14 are preferably located in the apertures 13 and extended into thetubing to eect delivery of the oil in concentrated jets.

Surrounding t-he apertured portion of the valve joints is a housing 15preferably of inverted frustro-conical shape and spaced from the outerwall of the tubing by ay iiange 16 at the lower end of the housing and aflange 1'7 at the upper end thereof, to form a chamber 18 around theapertured portion of the tubing and within'the housing.y The fiange 17is provided with ports 19 and concaved to form a female valve seat.

Slidably mounted on the valve joints 11 about the housing 15 is a float20, preferably formed of sheet metal and having an elongated hollow ringhaving an interior diameter adapted to lit snugly but in slidingrelation to the tubing and an exterior diameter sufficient to provide anannular air chamber of a capacity for floating the structure withoutinterfering with flow of well fluid and `air lthrough the well. Thelower end of the float 2O is reduced in diameter to fit within theconcave seat 17 of the housing 15 and serve as a valve for co-operatio-nwith the ports 19 in controlling flow of fluid from the tubing to thecasing and vice versa.

Attached-to the valve joint 11 above the upper limit of travel of thefloat 20 is a bracket 21, comprising a ring 22 attached to the tubingand spider arms 23 which engage the casing to center the tubing andserve as a stop for theoat.

Assuming-that a well served' by my im out through the ports 19,liftingithe valve upwardly along the tubing and maintaining the valve inelevated posit-ion as long as the'level of the well column is above thatof the valve seat, the column rising in the well and in the tubing untilit reaches the next higher valve which is opened, by lifting the float,and so on until the column reaches the limit of height tolwhieh the oilcan be raised by fthe* natural rock'pressure.

When the well isto'be flowed, air or gas is admitted to the casin underpressure `and rams the oil downwar ly in the lcasing, the oil in theupper part of the tubing passing through the housing portsNof the highervalve section in the well column into the housing chamber, thencethrough the apertures in the tubing to the interior of the tubing.AAs-oil continues toA be forced from the well into the tubing and to thetop of the well, the level of the column in the casing, is reduced andthe float at the top of the column lowers with it until, when the levelof the column has passed below the top of the housing, the float seatsover the ports in the housingand closes said ports to seal them andexclude the pressure, medium from. the tubing. Pressure of the air orgasoil the top of'the column then forces the oil through thesuccessively lower valves, the valves in turn closing as the level ofthe column descends until all of the oil has been linally removed fromthe casing and all of the valves closed. The pressure may then bediscontinued to 'permit'the well to refill, when the operation justdescribed may be repeated by renewing the supply of'air to the well.. l

It is apparent thatwith this arrangement Aof valves the oil can beflowed with a much lighter pressure than if it were necessary todisplace' the entire column through the bottom of the tubing and thatthe opening and closing of the valves is automatic/and succes- 'I andoff according to conditions in ber about the apertured portion andhaving sive first as the column fills and then as it is forced from thewell.

It is further apparent that a series of wells equipped with the flowingapparatus may be controlled from a vsingle station, gaugeson the airlines indicating condition of the wells to an operator so that he mayturn the air on the wells. Vhat I claim and desire to secure by LettersPatent is: y

1'. In combination with well tubing having an apertured portion, valvemechanism controlling flow through said apertured portion, including ahousing forming a chama `valve seat, and a float co-operative withl saidseat for controlling flow to the tubing through said chamber.

2. In combinatlon with well tubing having an apertured portion, valvemechanism controlling low through said apertured portion, including ahousing forming a chamber about .the apertured portion and having acupped valve seat at its upper end, and a float slidable on the tubingabove the housing and having a valve member (zo-operative with said 3.In combination with well tubing having an apertured portion, a housingforming a chamber about said apertured-portion and having a seat at itsupper end provided with ports, and a floatslidable on the tubing abovethe housing including a valve member cooperative with said seat tocontrol liow to the tubingthrough said chamber.

4. In combination with well tubing hav.- ing an apertured portion, ahousing forming a chamber about said apertured portion and having aconcave seat at its upper end provided'with ports, and afloat slidableon the tubing above the housing including a convex valve'memberco-operative with said seat to control flow to the tubing through saidchamber. .Y f

5. In combination with well tubing having an apertured portion, ahousing forming a chamber about said apertured portion and having anannular seat at its up er end provided with ports, and a float sli ableon the Itubing above the housing including an annular valve 'membergro-operative with said seat tocontrol flow to the tubing through saidchamber. J

6. In combination with well tubing having a series of upwardly andinwardly directed openings, a housing forming a chambeiabout saidopenings and provided with an upwardly facing valve seat, and a floatsurrounding and slidably mounted on said tubing and having a reducedextension on its lower end cooperative with said valve seat forcontrolling flow to the tubing through said chamber.

7. In combination with well tubing having an apertured portion, a'houging of inverted cone shape forming a chamber about said aperturedportion and havin4 a seat at its upper end provided with po-iilts, and afloat slidable on the tubing above the housing including a valve membei`co-operative with -a series of npwardly and inwardly directed openings,nip-ples in said openings project- -1ng into the tubmg, a housingformlng a` chamber labout said openings and provided with an upwardlyfacing valve seat, and a' float surrounding and slidably mounted on saidtubing and "having a reduced'extension on its lower end co-operativewith said valve seat for controlling flow to the tubing'through saidchamber. g.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

WILBERT L. MARTIN.`

1o said seat to control flow to the tubing through

